Bortoleto 'on one other planet' after winning the F2 championship

Gabriel Bortoleto said he felt “on another planet” after winning the Formula 2 championship for the primary time.

The Invicta driver's title follows last season's winning F3 campaign, by which he also won the consideration as a rookie.

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“It's the perfect feeling on the planet. I can't explain what I feel without delay,” Bortoleto said.

“It's just plenty of adrenaline, a lot happiness. Everyone is here to support me – all my family, my sponsors, all of Brazil who’re watching us and waking up there at six within the morning. I gave them my happiness on Sunday morning.

“My dream is to win F2 in a row after F3 as a debutant. It's just amazing and I'm not occupied with it for the time being. I'm on one other planet.”

The championship was all but sealed within the opening meters of the race when rival Isack Hadjar stalled and was dragged back into the pits, losing one lap behind the sphere and needing the intervention of the security automotive to assist him progress.

Gabriel Bortoleto from Invicta Racing

Photo: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

With the 2 teams separated by 4 and a half points heading into the season-ending race, with the duo starting second and third, with Bortoleto leading on each occasions, the pressure couldn't have been higher.

Although Bortoleto took minimal risks after a wild first lap, when asked how he handled the race when he learned of Hadjar's fate, he admitted: “Honestly, I used to be so focused on winning the race that I didn't understand.

“On the last lap I asked the engineer, 'Where's Isaac?' I don't know why I asked that. I used to be on one other level and something strange was happening. I didn't know if Isack had left or got here back. I used to be just focused on getting Victor [Martins] after which [race winner] Joshua [Durksen].

“In the end I almost managed to catch up to Joshua, but I congratulate him on the victory and I'm very happy that I managed to win the championship.”

Bortoleto will now move to F1 with Sauber, where he and latest teammate Nico Hulkenberg will take the seats vacated by Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas.